Silvery Black Tail Tetra Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

Silvery black tail tetras are streamlined, reflective characins with a bright silver body and a distinctive dark marking concentrated around the tail. Their metallic scales catch the light as they turn, while the contrast between the pale body and black tail gives the species its attractive common name. The fins are generally clear to lightly tinted, and the overall shape is built for sustained swimming in moving water.

The Silvery black tail tetra, Hemiodus immaculatus, comes from the Amazon basin of South America, particularly river systems and tributaries in Brazil. It inhabits flowing freshwater environments ranging from clear tributaries to tannin-stained waters with submerged vegetation and woody cover.

A group should be kept in an aquarium of at least 200 litres, with a footprint of roughly 120 cm by 45 cm to provide a long swimming run. Use efficient filtration and good oxygenation while avoiding excessively turbulent flow throughout the tank. A dark sand or fine gravel substrate, driftwood, smooth stones and hardy plants can recreate a sheltered South American river setting. Leave an open area at the front for shoaling, with subdued lighting and floating vegetation or shaded sections to help the fish feel secure.

Up to around 10 cm (4 inches) in adult length. Females may become slightly deeper-bodied than males, but both sexes are broadly similar in overall size.

Silvery black tail tetras are omnivores that naturally consume small aquatic insects, crustaceans, worms and some plant material. Offer a varied diet of quality flakes and small sinking or floating pellets supplemented with frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, daphnia, mosquito larvae and brine shrimp. Small portions fed regularly help maintain their condition and encourage natural foraging behaviour.

These peaceful but lively schooling fish suit a community aquarium with similarly sized, non-aggressive species. Good companions include medium-sized peaceful tetras, larger rasboras, peaceful barbs, Corydoras, peaceful Loricariid catfish and suitable dwarf cichlids. They should not be housed with large predatory fish, highly aggressive species or persistent fin-nippers. Their active feeding behaviour can intimidate very timid or slow-moving tankmates.

Silvery black tail tetras are egg-scattering fish and are rarely bred in home aquariums. A separate breeding aquarium with soft, slightly acidic water, subdued lighting and fine-leaved plants or spawning mops may encourage spawning. Adults should be removed after spawning because they may eat the eggs. The eggs generally hatch within a few days, and the tiny fry require appropriately sized infusoria or specialist liquid fry food before they can take newly hatched brine shrimp.

Sexual differences are subtle. Mature females are usually fuller through the abdomen, especially when carrying eggs, while males tend to be slightly slimmer and more streamlined. There are no dramatic colour or fin differences that reliably separate the sexes.